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Thursday, August 7, 2014

Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit

by Daniel Quinn, 263 pages.

A man sees a newspaper advertisement that states, "TEACHER SEEKS PUPIL. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person."

He is intrigued, and decides to find the teacher to see what wisdom he has to offer. When he arrives at the location listed in the advertisement, he is surprised to learn that the teacher is actually a gorilla named Ishmael. Ishmael has the ability to communicate telepathically, and asks the narrator to explore the story of the humanity's origin under his guidance. Ishmael starts by dividing humanity into the Givers and the Takers, and critically examines human nature while also delving into philosophical thought and mythology.